Vermont-NEA Today • January 2016 1

Vol. 81 No. 2 • Oct., 2013

www.vtnea.org

As a new legislative session begins, talk about

mandating minimum student-staff ratios has

begun again in earnest. The most common

iteration of this is the notion that we can save

$75 million a year by changing our lowest-in-

the nation ratio from 4.7-to-1 to 5-to-1. Unsaid,

however, is that doing so will result in the

elimination of more than 1,200 jobs – people

like you, your fellow educators.

“Sometimes Montpelier forgets that behind

numbers are actual Vermonters,” said

Vermont-NEA President Martha Allen. “Sure,

$75 million in savings sounds great. Until you

realize that in exchange for what amounts to a

seven cent reduction on the property tax rate,

thousands of Vermont children will not get the

attention and care they deserve.

No other state, according to education

experts, is exploring mandating a minimum

staffing ratio. And there’s a good reason why

no state would do that: study after study show

that one of the most significant factors in

student success is the amount of one-on-one

attention they get from educators.

“Children thrive when they have one-on-

one time with educators,” Allen said. “This

arbitrary move by Montpelier will rob

thousands of children of that opportunity to

work closely with educators.”

In addition to shortchanging our children –

and throwing more than 1,200 middle-class

taxpayers out of work – mandating minimum

ratios would eliminate programs our children

depend on.

“Reducing the number of educators means

eliminating hundreds of programs our

children rely on for their education,” Allen

said. “Is it worth gutting programs for

Vermont’s children really worth saving the

typical residential homeowner less than $3.50

a week?”

Those calling for minimum ratios – and they

are both Republicans and Democrats – raise

the argument that despite a years-long decline

in Vermont’s overall public school enrollment

the number of adults in our schools is failing

to fall. Unfortunately, that assertion is flawed

and inaccurate.

According to Treasurer Beth Pearce, the

number of teachers participating in the

Vermont State Teachers Retirement System

is at its lowest level since 2000. (Every active

public school teacher in Vermont MUST

participate in the retirement system, so the

treasurer’s numbers are probably the most

accurate counting of teachers.)

“Vermont’s schools are among the best in the

nation, year in and year out,” Allen said. “One

of the primary reasons our schools do well

is that Vermonters want – and pay for – their

children’s ability to get the attention in school

they need when they need it.”

Those calling for the firing of 1,200 educators

also fail to realize the effect such a move

would have on school safety.

Indeed, at time when schools are becoming

less safe because of children with special

needs, behavioral issues or addiction-related

problems, cutting staff will exacerbate the

danger. “It makes no sense to slash educators

– many of whom work directly with children

needing special assistance – at the same time

the governor is hiring more social workers

and finally investing in programs that can help

reverse the scourge of opiate addiction,” Allen

said.

Although not the sole cause of school

violence, opiate addiction is felt in Vermont’s

classrooms. Traumatized students don’t

learn. Children acting out in aggressive or

violent ways can’t learn, and they make all

students in the classroom unable to learn

as well. “Students in the middle of a violent

episode also can’t learn, and can be a danger

to themselves, their fellow students and to

educators,” Allen said.

In a state that takes great pride in its

schools, dismantling what Vermonters have

built up over the decades makes no sense.

Everywhere, it seems, someone is calling

for closing schools, firing educators and

consigning our children to ever-more crowded

classrooms. The supposed reason given by

politicians is that voters are clamoring for tax-

rate decreases.

But we know that actual voters – our fellow

residents who show up to vote on school

budgets at Town Meeting – routinely and

overwhelmingly approve budgets when it

comes to educating their children. “We know

that to politicians and officials in Montpelier,

numbers matter,” Allen said. “Unfortunately,

such an analysis always fails to look at the

real human impacts behind their budget

machinations. Sure, $75 million sounds like

a lot of money, and in the abstract, it is. But

remember that 1,200 educators will lose their

livelihood. And countless Vermont children

will miss out on programs that they rely on.”

Safety, Quality Top Our Agenda

continued on p. 4

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Mandating Ratios Shortchanges Children

By the time you read this, Legislators

will be back under the Golden Dome for

the 2016 legislative session.

Here are some of the issues that your

team in the Statehouse – President

Martha Allen, Executive Director Joel

Cook, General Counsel Jeff Fannon and

Political Director Colin Robinson – will

be working on as they advocate for you

and your students.

School Student and Staff Safety: Ensure safe learning and working environment in our schools.

In recent years, our students (and the

adults responsible for their education) have

experienced nothing short of an epidemic

of violent student behavioral outbursts.

Not only are students (and adults) being

physically injured, but their learning suffers

when the adults are diverted to protecting

them and entire classes are exposed to the

accompanying emotional trauma.

The State should begin to address this

fundamental issue of protecting its children

by developing the capacity for schools

to incorporate on-site an array of social

services; and proceeding with extreme

caution regarding restricting the number of

adults serving children in school.

2 Vermont-NEA Today • January 2016

Vermont-NEA

The Official Publication of Vermont’s Largest Union

10 Wheelock Street., Montpelier, VT 05602

p 802.223.6375 f 802.223.1253 • vtnea.org

Martha Allen, President

Joel D. Cook, Executive Director

Darren M. Allen, Communications

Director

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Alison Sylvester, V. President

Steve Owens, Sec.-Treasurer

Don Tinney, NEA Director

Keren Turner , Chittenden 1

Holly Esterline, Chittenden 2

Chris Halpin, Chittenden 3

Wayne Whitehill, NE Kingdom 1

Duke Szymanski, NE Kingdom 2

Greg Frost, So. Vermont 1

Molly Pratt, So. Vermont 2

Loriann Darrell, So. Vermont 3

Darcey Fletcher, NW Vermont 1

Pat Thompson, NW Vermont 2

Lance Mills, Upper Valley 1

Patty Pomerleau, Upper Valley 2

Erin Carter, Cent. Vermont 1

Linda Howard, Cent. Vermont 2

Rose Wenzel, Add/Rut. 1

Ted Lindgren, Add./Rut. 2

ESSA: Support Not Punisment Martha Allen

The good news is that the more than a dozen years of the punitive mandates "No Child Left Behind"

(NCLB) forced on our nation's public schools is over.

No more will schools be identified as failing or be subjected to annual yearly progress (AYP)

restrictions and punishments. Congress has passed the "Every Student Succeeds Act" (ESSA), the long

overdue reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

ESEA was established in order to close the achievement gap, ensuring that all public school students

receive a good education and grow into productive citizens. Unfortunately, this challenge was not met.

The gap in achievement and opportunity in schools in low socioeconomic areas persists.

NEA worked long and hard to convince the members of Congress in DC to include supports rather

than punishments for these schools. And, because of the advocacy of NEA members and NEA staff,

many good revisions were made. States will be given more authority about running their public

schools. High stakes standardized tests will not be connected to teacher evaluation, indicators of

school and student supports (school climate and safety, fine arts, counselors, etc.) must be included

in accountability systems in order to address opportunity gaps.

There are many places in this 1000-plus page act that require the voices of both teachers and ESP

personnel in educational and instructional decisions. Finally, the expertise of those who work in the

schools will be used when important decisions are made about our public school students. And,

collective bargaining agreements will be protected, a critical piece of this legislation.

Some of the historic federal protections for our most vulnerable children remain, protecting those in

poverty, students with disabilities, and our English language learners.

There are pages and pages of provisions in ESSA, and many states will celebrate the changes and

improvements, but here in Vermont, we won't see a lot of change. Even though this reauthorization

is hailed as a huge victory for our country's public schools, much of what is now offered to states has

been in place in Vermont.

Keep in mind that Vermont did not apply for the Race To The Top funds because we didn't believe that

those requirements were good for our children and staff. We withdrew from the ESEA Waiver process

once we realized that the Feds weren't going to allow us to develop our own view of an excellent public

education program.

Our Vermont Agency of Education has worked for years to support local communities as they tailor

their school programs to meet the needs of the students in their communities. Our local school

boards make decisions at the local level. Vermont does not require more testing than what the federal

government requires. Teacher evaluation has never been attached to student test scores.

Because Vermont has refused to buckle under federal pressure, we have maintained a sensible and

productive school system. Although struggling for funding, the AOE has kept student success in the

forefront of its work with respect for our students, staff and local communities.

The country has turned away from punitive and senseless mandates and will move forward to provide

a great education for all children regardless of their zip code. Here in Vermont we must also work to

provide an excellent education for all of our students, no matter where in the state they live.

This is no easy task and the talk in Montpelier often slips from dialogue about excellent schools and

student needs and supports into conversations about how to do more for less. Public education costs

a lot of money and there is no way to educate Vermont's children on the cheap if we truly want every

child to excel.

As the education professionals in Vermont, we know what supports our schools need to have healthy,

safe, and innovative school community. It is our responsibility to keep our legislators and community

members informed as we navigate these very challenging times in our society. We will keep you

informed as ESSA takes shape in Vermont. Meanwhile, do what you all do best and provide our young

Vermonters with the best learning opportunities possible!

Vermont-NEA Today • January 2016 3

20 Teacher-Approved Apps You Really Must Try J By NEA Member Benefits

For lesson planning, communicating with special-

needs students, creating polished presentations

and more, here are NEA members’ favorite

mobile apps.

Mobile apps have become “must have” classroom

tools, and students are naturally drawn to their

interactivity. Whether you’re looking for an app

to help with classroom management, exploring

different languages or figuring out tricky

geometry problems, there’s an app for anything

and everything.

With hundreds of thousands of apps out there,

finding the right ones to use can be a challenge.

To help you navigate the waters, we asked your

fellow NEA members to tell us about apps they

find useful in their classrooms. Below are their

picks along with some helpful advice.

Math

1. GeoGebra (Free, iOS, Android, Windows).

This dynamic mathematics software for

all levels joins geometry, algebra, tables,

graphing, statistics and calculus in one

easy-to-use package. It has received several

educational software awards in Europe and the

USA.

2. Desmos (Free, iPad). A visually stunning

graphic calculator. Instantly plot any equation,

from lines and parabolas up through

derivatives and Fourier series.

Communication and Organization

3. Edmodo (Free, Android, iPad, iPhone and

Windows). Create a free account in a K-12 social

learning community where teachers, students

and parents can connect safely and securely. “I

use many apps on my iPad during my language

and social skills classes. In working with Special

Education teams, we have employed the use

of Edmodo to report student progress and

concerns.” — Ellen, speech and language

teacher

4. Google Apps (Free, Android). Google

Apps for Education is a suite of free, secure

tools that includes Gmail, Calendar, Sites

& Documents. Use it for collaboration and

communication no matter where you are

or which device you’re using. “As far as

applications that give me the biggest bang

for the buck, Google is it for my students. We

are able to create websites so they can build

their personal educational electronic portfolio.

We also use Google for word processing

and spreadsheets.” — Jennifer, fourth-grade

teacher

5. Remind (Free, iOS, Android). A free, safe

way for teachers to text message students and

stay in touch with parents. Phone numbers are

always kept private so that teacher-student-

parent communication is 100% safe and

secure.

6. Evernote (Free, all platforms). The ultimate

notetaker. Capture notes, organize lesson

plans, collaborate on projects, snap photos of

whiteboards and more. Sync across multiple

devices. “As a teacher, I love Evernote. I am

able to access my notes anywhere I am from

any device. It keeps everything neatly in a

“Notebook.” I also cannot imagine teaching a

day without my Notebook software from Smart

Technologies. Again, very intuitive software.

I am able create very interactive files and it is

free!!” — Jennifer, fourth-grade teacher

Student Polling

7. Survey Monkey (Free “Basics,” iPhone,

iPad, iPod Touch). Create surveys, send them to

anyone and monitor your results on the go.

8. Edmodo polls (Free, Android, iPad, iPhone,

and Windows). Edmodo Polls is a simple

system that allows you to post polls to your

Edmodo groups to get quick anonymous

feedback from your students

9. Polls Everywhere (Subscription). Add real-

time polls to your lessons with no clickers!

Works on any device.

Video and Presentations

10. iMovie ($4.99, iOS). Browse your video

library, quickly share favorite moments and

create beautiful HD movies and Hollywood-

style trailers.

11. Prezi (Free and subscription version,

all platforms). For interactive classroom

sessions or group projects. Collaborate in

real time with up to 10 others, whether in

the classroom or at home, to brainstorm and

create your presentation on one shared virtual

whiteboard. Import PowerPoint presentations,

create portfolios and more.

12. Amimoto (Free for educators, iPhone,

iPad, or most modern desktop browsers). Turn

your photos and music into stunning video

slideshows.

13. Keynote ($9.99, iPhone and iPad). Intuitive,

easy-to-use presentation creation, complete

with animated charts and transitions and as

simple as touching and tapping.

14. Explain Everything ($2.99, iOS, Android,

Windows). Interactive whiteboard and

screencasting tool that lets you import

documents, move and animate objects, record,

draw, annotate and then connect and upload

to many different cloud services. “On our

iPads, we use Explain Everything and Scribble

Press for almost everything. They are easy to

use—intuitive. They are easy to push out to

YouTube which then posts easily on to their

Google website portfolio.” — Jennifer, fourth-

grade teacher

Special Education

15. TouchChat (Starts at $9.99, iPad, iPhone,

iPod Touch). TouchChat is a full-featured

communication solution for individuals who

have difficulty using their natural voice.

TouchChat is designed for individuals with

Autism, Down Syndrome, ALS, apraxia, stroke

or other conditions that affect the ability to

use natural speech. “I use TouchChat as an

augmentative communication device for some

of my non-verbal students.” — Ellen, speech

and language teacher

Language Arts

16. Endless Alphabet (Free for Windows and

Android, $6.99 for iOS)– Helps young learners

with their ABCs and building vocabulary. “For

my younger students, I LOVE the Endless

Alphabet, Endless Numbers and Endless

Readers apps. They are free, and provide

students with letter name and sounds

while introducing them to new vocabulary

words and sight words. In Endless Numbers,

students learn number names and one-to-

one correspondence. Honestly, all of my

elementary school students love these apps.”

— Anonymous

17. Scribble Press (Free, iPad or web).

Multimedia creativity platform for creating,

sharing and publishing stories.

18. VoiceThread (Subscription, starts at $15/

month, desktop version or for use on iOS

devices). An interactive collaboration and

sharing tool that integrates voice, images,

text, video, documents and more. Can be used

in the classroom as a storytelling tool. The

educator’s version includes privacy controls.

The New Jersey Education Association has

listed several helpful resources at njea.org.

ESOL

19. DuoLingo (Free, iOS, Android). Learn a

language using gamification principles. Earn

points for correct answers, race against the

clock and level up, structured in easy bite-sized

lessons.

Study Tools

20. Quizlet (Free, iOS, Android). Create tests

and worksheets, study tools, study games and

more. Plus, you can collaborate with other

educators. “I use Quizlet for vocabulary test

preparation/practice. Our Spanish teacher

uses Moodle and Quizlet in his classroom. His

kids also use their smartphones for listening

and speaking quizzes. Those students without

phones may borrow from a classmate.” — High

school English teacher

This article was published in NEAchieve!, NEA

Members Benefits monthly newsletter that

delivers tips and ideas to your inbox.

4 Vermont-NEA Today • January 2016

School Quality: Help schools do even better

J School staffing.

As school districts shed employees (there are

500-600 fewer public school employees today

than in 2009), the State should repeal the

allowable growth threshold as painting with too

broad a brush, increasing property taxes, and

hamstringing districts trying to meet the needs

of their students; and refrain from considering

imposing staff to student ratios from Montpelier.

J School Leadership.

The State should commission research to assess

why there is so much turnover among principals

by, among other things, surveying the pool of

potential principals about aspirations to become

principals, by surveying former principals about

why they left, and by surveying school boards for

reasons behind retaining or releasing individuals

from the position.

Of course, current principals also have important

contributions to this research.

J Student loan forgiveness.

The state should establish a student debt

forgiveness program designed to induce young

adults to teach and to teach in rural and/or high

poverty areas.

J AOE capacity.

The State (every state) engages in “enforcement”

and “technical assistance” to schools and other

public service providers. The ranks of our AOE

have been decimated over the past decade. The

State should improve the capacity of AOE to do

its job.

Community: Maintain direct local community involvement in school districts that get merged

The overall impact of Act 46 will be the

elimination of school-based elected governing

boards. Their elimination will leave a void in the

capacity of a local community to have an official

voice in the governance of its school. The State

should fill that void by enacting school-based

council legislation.

School finance: Increase “fair-ness” in the funding system

The State should make the school funding

system fairer by increasing the income threshold

for income sensitivity; increasing the income

threshold for maximum local taxes (something

that hasn’t been raised in decades); and

repealing the allowable growth threshold.

“Choice”: Reduce use of public dol-lars for private education, without assurance regarding its use

The State should protect its children and

its taxpayers’ payments by retaining the

obligation of school districts to choose between

maintaining a school and tuitioning its students

to attend school elsewhere; establishing

standards for the private use of public education

dollars that ensure all its children are treated

equitably wherever they attend school; and

ceasing the use of public education dollars to

enroll children in private schools outside the

state.

Health benefits: Find the best way to navigate changes in our health care system

The State should enable VEHI to serve “small”

employers; begin to examine whether there is

a model approach to providing health benefits

to public employees generally that ensures

employees and employers work in direct

partnership; and commission an actuarial

assessment of providing publicly financed health

care to all Vermont children.

Retirement: Continue restoring the Teachers Retirement System to good financial health

The State should continue its recent successful

practice of providing full funding for the System

and refrain from statutory intrusion into the

investment procedures of our public pension

systems.

Generally support worker friendly legislation

The State should work in concert with Working

Vermont, in which Vermont-NEA is a major

participant, to enact legislation to protect the

interests of Vermont workers and the general

economic welfare.

-the vote effort for a state senatorial and school

board election. It’s an untapped power we’re

beginning to tap into.

What inspires you most about teaching right

now?

One of my favorite things about teaching at

Bergenfield High is that it’s one of the most

diverse districts in the state. I like being in a school

where I can have a classroom of 30 kids and

every single one has a different ethnic and social

background. America used to be called a melting

pot; now it’s a mixed salad. It’s the norm for these

students so they don’t think twice about it.

It’s what we’re working towards as a country. Our

school district has the second largest population

of Filipinos in New Jersey, and as a first-generation

Filipino-American, it’s great having that

connection to my students. The sweet spot for

me is providing working-class and first-generation

immigrants with the ladder of opportunity we

always talk about.

So opportunity and social justice are still

important ideals for millennial educators?

For my generation, social justice is part of our

value system. Columbine and 9/11 took place

during our formative years. We helped elect

Barack Obama, the nation’s first black president.

But we also had to juxtapose the promise of that

election with the rise of violence in the streets, the

growth of the school-to-prison pipeline, and the

over-incarceration of black and brown children.

The verdict is still out on what millennials will do

when we become the generation in power. We’ll

have to step up and solve some of these major

problems.

We don’t have the luxury of doing nothing.

from p. 8

Gabriel Tanglao

from p. 1

Keeping Our Schools Safe, Successful Tops Agenda

Student Advocacy Never Stops for Millennial Teachers

Vermont-NEA Today • January 2016 5

Vermont-NEA’s Board of Directors show their support for legislation that would give more Vermont workers access to paid sick leave. The bill is expected to move this year.

With Your Help, No Child Left Behind is Left Behind

President Barack Obama last month signed

the Every Student Succeeds Act, the latest

incarnation of the federal education law. In so

doing, he and Congress tossed No Child Left

Behind into the bins of history, and along with it

the test-and-punish regime that stole precious

learning time from millions of children across the

country.

Although we’ve been fortunate in Vermont to

have governors and education secretaries willing

to work with the state’s educators to blunt the

worst of NCLB, the new law is a welcomed return

to teaching and learning. “We’ve long known

that assessing student performance based on

high-stakes testing and punishing schools that

don’t make the mark leaves many, many children

behind,” said Martha Allen, Vermont-NEA

president. “The president validated our long-

held contention that schools should be centers

of learning, exploration and excitement and not

merely places to fill out standardized tests.”

Hundreds of thousands of educators flooded

Congress with calls, emails and personal visits

in an effort to pass an education law that would

finally end the test-and-punish regime we’ve

all lived under for more than a decade. And, in

something very rare in Washington, people from

both sides of the aisle actually worked together

to produce something that will, in the whole, be

good for America’s children.

“Students couldn’t afford to live another year

under No Child left Behind,” NEA President Lily

Eskelsen Garcia said. Indeed, the Every Student

Succeeds Act is the seventh reauthorization

of the landmark Elementary and Secondary

Education Act passed in 1965. It is the first

since 2002, when NCLB became law. This

reauthorization has been years in the making

and suffered through several false starts, but

it picked up steam this year as widespread

opposition among educators, experts and

parents against high stakes testing swelled.

We are still scouring the law – as are educators

and education officials everywhere – to see

what it will mean to you in the classroom. With

over 1,000 pages, there are sure to be hidden

or obscure parts that will take some time to

assess. In Vermont, we’re especially cognizant

that some of the law’s provisions may seem to

move us backwards on some issues, given this

state’s commitment to protecting students and

educators from the harshest ravages of NCLB.

But are starting to get a clearer picture, and

here’s what NEA and we can tell you about the

new law:

What ESSA sets out to do is strike the right

balance between the respective roles of

the federal, state and local governments in

formulating education policy. The widely-shared

consensus over the past few years is that NCLB

was tilted toward the federal side but for the

wrong reason. The original ESEA’s emphasis on

ensuring equity and opportunity was brushed

aside while new rigid, punitive mandates to

states and school districts on how students and

schools should be evaluated were imposed.

Every Student Succeeds goes a long way in

defanging NCLB’s grinding test-and-punish

regime, lays a path for new flexible pillars of

school accountability and reaffirms the original

law’s vision that zip code shouldn’t determine the

quality of a child’s education.

Throughout the reauthorization process,

NEA’s focus has been threefold: decouple

standardized testing from high stake decisions,

create an “opportunity dashboard” to help close

opportunity gaps that shortchange students

most in need and elevate the voices of educators

in the policymaking process. On these critical

measures, ESSA delivers.

Opportunity Gaps in Focus

For the first time, state-designed accountability

systems must include at least one indicator of

school success or student support to determine

where holes should be filled. These indicators

could include lack of school counselors, or

inadequate access to advanced coursework or a

richer curriculum.

Less High Stakes

ESSA will still require annual tests in grades

3-8 and once in high school. However one of

the linchpins of NCLB, the so-called Annual

Yearly Progress (AYP) mandate, is history. For

years, this provision dangled threats of punitive

measures, including closure, over struggling

schools if they didn’t meet narrow and unrealistic

federally-mandated measures of accountability.

ESSA provides funding for states to audit and

streamline assessment systems, eliminate

redundant and inefficient assessments and

improve them.

The new law also creates a pilot program for

state-designed assessment systems that are

driven by teaching and learning. And where

states allow, ESSA maintains the right of parents

to opt their children out of statewide academic

assessments and allows states to limit the

amount of time students spend taking annual

tests.

Greater Educator Voice

The Every Student Succeeds Act strikes a much

more constructive balance between federal and

state and local control than the heavy-handed

NCLB. For more than ten years, educators’

expertise has been muzzled by unreasonable

and unworkable mandates. While ESSA preserves

the historic federal role in protecting the most

vulnerable students it also recognizes that top-

down doesn't work for everything. The new

law prohibits the federal government from

mandating teacher evaluations or defining what

an “effective” teacher and calls for that many

decisions for local schools be determined by

collaboration between educators, parents and

other community members.

6 Vermont-NEA Today • January 2016

Washington West EA Member Teaches in UgandaSara Baker, a special education teacher at

Moretown Elementary School, has been teaching

in a place far from home.

She is currently making her fourth trip to

Malayaka House, an orphanage in Uganda.

Relying on volunteers, she is able to bring

materials, shoes and other items that are needed

by the children. She also trains local Ugandans as

tutors for the children and has provided trainings

and materials for the local school.

Over the years, Sara’s work has also included

helping to organize a library at the orphanage.

While she pays her airfare to Uganda on her

annual trips, she relies on donations for materials

she brings.

“Beyond being completely smitten with the

children, I am also committed to a larger purpose

– one which I intend to continue to pursue

indefinitely – that literacy changes lives and that

if our intention is to create lasting change, a

literate citizenry is necessary to allow Ugandans

to lead the way into the bright and prosperous

future of their own making,” Sara said.

To learn more and see how you can help Sara

help the young people in Uganda, head on

over the www.gofundme.com and search for

“Malayaka House February 2016.”Sara Baker, a member of Washington West Education Association, is surrounded by some friends during a recent visit to the Malayaka House in Uganda.

Vermont-NEA Today • January 2016 7

Vermont-NEA Supports Dr. Dynasaur 2.0Vermont-NEA and a host of other organizations

last month announced their support for Dr.

Dynasaur 2.0, an innovative and exciting plan

that calls for extending the popular public health

program to all Vermonters age 26 and younger.

Business owners, advocacy groups, labor unions,

and city and state officials gathered at the Mule

Bar in Winooski to unveil the proposal.

“We are excited by the possibilities for

Vermonters by expanding Dr. Dynasaur,”

Vermont-NEA President Martha Allen said. “We

are confident that should the legislature approve

funding for a study of the proposal’s benefits

and costs, Vermonters will see lower premiums,

better care, and a bright new future where the

cost of health insurance doesn’t drive young

people and families away from Vermont.

Dr. Dynasaur is one of the most popular public

programs in Vermont; in fact, nearly eight out

10 Vermonters view the program favorably. By

expanding coverage from the current age limit of

19 and removing income limits, Dr. Dynasaur 2.0

has the potential to make health insurance truly

affordable for thousands of Vermonters.

Among the proponents of the plan is House

Speaker Shap Smith, D-Morrisvile. He said he

wants a bill authorizing a study on the governor’s

desk by the end of the session, and he is hopeful

that the study will conclude that expanding the

popular program makes economic sense.

“It has been incredibly successful, and it has

improved the public health of Vermont’s children

while being affordable,” he told the Vermont

Press Bureau. “We can do better than that. We

know that we can expand this program to all

Vermonters under 26 and we can make it even

better for young Vermonters in this state.”

According to the plan’s proponents, expanding

Dr. Dynasaur would make health care in Vermont

more accessible and affordable. Dr. Dynasaur 2.0

would:

Reduce the number of unin-sured Vermonters

Move roughly 120,000 people from expensive

private insurance plans into Dr. Dynasaur

generating a huge decrease in the number of

Vermonters with high deductibles and out of

pocket health care expenses.

Lower the cost of doing business in Vermont

Relieve employers of the high costs associated

with offering family health care plans to their

staff. All Vermonters / employees ages 26 and

under would now receive care through Dr.

Dynasaur 2.0.

Expand Access to Care

Expand low or no cost coverage for dental care,

primary care, mental health treatment and

prescription drugs to young Vermonters. Visit

www.drdynasaur2.org for more details on what

the plan covers.

Help young people stay in Vermont

Provide a financial incentive for young people to

live, work and raise families in Vermont.

Decrease the uninsured rate of the “young and

invincible” aged 19-26.

Vermont-NEA and NEA are the major funders

behind the Dr. Dynasaur 2.0 campaign. The union

is no stranger to health reform efforts. “We

believe that all young Vermonters deserve access

to top-quality, affordable health care,” Allen said.

“This proposal gives us hope that expensive

employer family plans can become a thing of the

past, saving Vermont residents, businesses and

school districts money.”

Currently the Dr. Dynasaur 2.0 program is in its

proposal phase.

Its organizers are in the process of requesting

that the Vermont State Legislature commission

a study to examine the tax and public health

implications of expanding Dr. Dynasaur so it may

be ready for the 2017 legislative session.

Backers of the proposal have pledged

transparency and will seek the involvement of all

stakeholders.

They also made a pledge: if the study shows that

expanding Dr. Dynasaur will cost Vermonters

more than it will benefit, the campaign will end.

Speaker of the House Shap Smith, D-Morrisville, discusses Dr. Dynasaur 2.0, a proposed expansion of the state’s most popular health insurance plan. Your union is a major funder of the effort.

Keep Connected www.vtnea.org

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The Official Publication of the

Vermont-National Education Association

www.vtnea.org

Vol. 83 No. 5 • January 2016

Vermont-NEA

by Sabrina Holcomb

NEA Today

In his six years teaching in New Jersey’s Bergenfield Public School district,

Gabriel Tanglao has come to realize how much his students’ well-being

depends on his activism outside of the classroom. “I’ve learned that I can’t

stand up for my students without advocating for the issues that affect them

and their families,” says Tanglao, who teaches AP economics and modern

world history to high school students in one of the most diverse school

districts in the state.

One issue that affects every one of his students is school funding. Tanglao,

who is also treasurer and legislative action team chair of the Bergenfield

Education Association, helped fight for recent legislative victories on state

aid. He spoke to us about it recently in his role as a union activist and leader:

Why did you call it a moral victory when Governor Christie signed a

bill prohibiting the withholding of school funding from school districts

based on the number of students who took the state exam?

Loss of funds would have hurt the very students who are traditionally

underserved—students of color and students in poor school districts. My

affiliate helped organize statewide “Take the Test” awareness events where

we invited parents to come and take the exam, followed by a countywide

screening of the movie “Beyond Measure,” about educators pioneering a

fresh vision for America’s schools. We were ultimately successful because

of a massive organizing effort and collaborative partnership that rallied

parents and educators across the state. This work really feels like a

movement.

Are the nation’s educators starting a new movement?

The corporatization of education is turning us into robots. But we’re starting

to fight back. I’ve never met so many passionate and committed educators

as I have this past year. They understand they have to be active outside as

well as inside of the classroom. My local conducted a member-to-member,

door-knocking campaign and listening tour this year as a successful get-out-

continued on p. 4

NON-PROFIT ORG

U. S. POSTAGE

PAID

THE MAILING CTR

05641

Millennial Teacher: Student Advocacy Never Stops

Lobby Day 2016Your voice matters most when it

comes to education. This year, plan

on joining us for a lobby day at the

Statehouse. We’ve got two dates,

February 16 and 23. Look for details at

vtnea.org/lobbyday2016. Remember,

you are the experts when it comes to

public education in Vermont.

20 Teacher-Approved Apps You Must Try, p. 3 President’s View: ESSA Takes Emphasis Away from Test-and-Punish, p. 2 Your Advocay Puts No Child Left Behind Far Behind, p. 5

10 Wheelock St, Montpelier, VT 05602

Washington West EA member Sara Baker spreads her teaching far beyond Vermont to an orphanage in Uganda. See page 6.